BEIJING (Reuters) - China has come up with an earthquake prediction system which relies on the behavior of snakes, state media said Thursday, two days after two quakes struck off neighboring Taiwan.

The earthquake bureau in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi autonomous region in southern China, had developed its system using a combination of natural instinct and modern technology, the China Daily newspaper said.

"Of all the creatures on Earth, snakes are perhaps the most sensitive to earthquakes," bureau director Jiang Weisong was quoted as saying.

Jiang said snakes, a popular restaurant dish in the south in the winter, could sense an earthquake from 120 km (70 miles) away, three to five days before it happens. They respond by behaving strangely.

My favorite part is “snakes, a popular restaurant dish in the south in the winter.” Sequitur, anyone?

You know, it never occurred to me to question the snake farms. I think it’s because (1) as a kid in Miami I used to frequently pass a local attraction called the Serpentarium, so the idea of a heap (coil? slither?) of snakes is not alien to me; and (2) I was preoccupied with wondering how snakes throw the horns. \m/

Snakes are a great taste treat! They just slide right down your throat! Or you, theirs.

Where's the feed? We need to watch the snakes too! Does each snake have a cam, or is this some kind of communal feed? Can the snakes hook up after seeing each other's videos? And what's with the head-banging? Will there be a Speedmetal set to gear up for the shakedown?

I know what they'll be having for dinner if those snakes don't predict the quakes!